sprx'iES. 153 



ought never to be altered. They may have a harsh sound, 

 be barbarous, or even absurd, yet all these objections are 

 as nothing, Avhen compared with the evils accompanying 

 the multiplication of synonymes. Even Avithout any good 

 reason, many naturalists have presumed to change the 

 names which the discoverer of the species imposed upon 

 them, in order to obtain what appeared to them uniformity 

 of nomenclature, ^r rather for the purpose of increasing 

 their own importance. The period is probably not very 

 remote, when diis mischievous spirit of innovation shall re- 

 ceive an effectual check, in consequence of credit being 

 attached only to those who develope new characters^ and 

 not to those who disturb science by the fabrication of un- 

 necessary names. Where synonymes have unavoidably 

 been created, in consequence of the want of communication 

 between distant observers, the rule imiversally known, but 

 not equally extensively observed, is to give the preference to 

 the napie Jirat hnposal. 



2. Specific Character. — When a genus contains only one 

 species, it is not necessary, even for the sake of uniformity, 

 to employ a specific character. Its use is merely to assist in 

 discriminating readily the different species which a genus may 

 contain. For this purpose, the species, or their descriptions, 

 are compared together, in order to discover their most strik- 

 ing differences. These essential marks are expressed in one 

 sentence, which is added immediately after the specific name. 

 Before the introduction of the Linnrcan system, this speci- 

 fic character was frequently employed instead of the speci- 

 fic name. Its inconvenient length, however, was generally 

 acknowledged ; so that the substitution of the specific name 

 by the illustrious Swede, in references and conversation, 

 was imiversally acceptable to naturahsts. The specific 

 names were termed by him 7iomina trtvialia ; because they 

 frequently had a reference to the accidental, instead of ihe 

 c:>iicnlial, characters of animals. 



